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ImagoMaris

Welcome to ImagoMaris. The name 'ImagoMaris' is the contraction of the Latin words 'Imago', meaning 'image' and 'Maris' meaning 'of/from the sea'. First goal of our site is to show to anyone who wants to see, the incredible beauty of the underwater world. We hope thus, that ever more people get a better understanding of, and more respect for the Oceans. Eventually in the sea lies the origin of all life on earth.

This is the reason that we want to aim more on information, for example by referring to organisations that are actively working on protecting our oceans (see our weblinks, category "Environmental protection"). After all there are quite some misunderstandings about our waters. For instance there is still a general conviction that eating fish is healthy. Indeed, mostly there are less unhealthy fats (oil) in fish than in meat. But contrary to that fishes usually contain much more environmental pollution, like heavy metals (lead, mercury) and lately more and more plastic residues and also agricultural poisons like DDT. DDT is forbidden in most western countries because it is well known that it does not break down naturally and heaps up in predatory animals, especially those at or near the end of the food chain, like tuna and salmon. Nevertheless it is still used in developing countries to fight insect plagues.

Also it is thought that fish from fish farms is okay. Nothing is further from the truth. Fish grown in fish farms is often full of antibiotics (this is not as healthy as a layman would think) and is exposed to the same pollution as other fish (lead, mercury). The polluted fish doesn't stop at the edge of the nets from the fish farms. Also fish farms in the open seas are very polluting because of the residues of used antibiotics, fish excrements and left overs of missed food that assembles at the sea bottom under the nets of the fish farms. Predator fish like sharks can also get entangled in the nets of the fish farms that are used to keep the fish in. Finally the food used in fish farms consists of frozen fish, caught in the wild.

Fishery is robbery. Fishing means throwing out a net or a line in the sea and wait what comes out. A net catches (and often kills) all that comes in. There is always a side catch. Nobody can claim this is not true, without lying. This side catch is pure waste. For economic reasons side catch is being thrown back in the sea, but by then it is usually dead or dying. Besides that the goal is to get as much as possible out of the sea and hardy thought in advance: Is there enough fish to be able to fish next year too? In spite of all the quota and so called rules (in which short term economic interests of some still weigh heavier than the long term interests of everything and everyone on this planet) the sea is being emptied in a progressively higher rate. We as scuba divers see with our own eyes that the amount and the diversity of the fishes in the sea diminishes rapidly. Great schools of fish that were common in the past are hardly ever seen anymore.

Fishing with lines is no better. Also here fish is caught at random. Whatever bites the hook is reeled in. That can also be tuna, sharks, barracuda, turtles, dolphins or other endangered species. Also the sea is being polluted (as with nets) with all sorts of fishing gear. Residue of nets and fishing lines, lead, and other fishing gear are sometimes found more than interesting sea life during a dive.

Meat is not as unhealthy anymore as the fishing industry wants to let us believe. Moreover, meat is being grown more environmentally friendly for ages (although also here is still room for improvement). With regards to farming fish one still has no clue as to how to do this responsibly. Nevertheless it must be said, that farming fresh water fish this is already a lot better. Don't think that in a varied diet it is necessary to eat fish. All necessary vitamins, minerals and healthy fats are also available from vegetables and meat. Even more: fish is just not healthy.

If nothing else, think selfishly: if you do not care if there is still fish in the seas, remember that humanity will be one of the first to die out. There are quite a few organisms that we cannot even exterminate, no matter how hard we try. Those organisms will eventually survive us and from those new life will evolve. But in a world with only bacteria, fungi and perhaps some insects we cannot survive. Nature doesn't need humans to survive. People need nature very much to survive and the most important link in our natural balance are the oceans, and yet we seem to be trying very hard to destroy our own source of life.

If you want humanity to survive, start with yourself and just do not eat fish!